By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, May 4 (ANTARA) - Indonesian politics today is lacking in fundamental values as most political party leaders are adopting pragmatism to grab power for short-term interests, political analysts say.
Internal rifts within political parties also happen not because of strategic matters but because of bickering over how to coalesce and to nominate a cadre for a presidential or even a vice presidential position.
"Therefore, the political elites now produce mere rhetoric instead of strategic ideas and thoughts, indicating how they have put aside fundamental values," Rocky Gerung of the University of Indonesia (UI) said.
It turns out that the number of genuine political players in the country is small as what the political elites are concerned about today in forming coalitions -- a phenomenon basically reflecting pragmatism where fundamental values have been forgotten, Roceky Gerung said.
The almost one-month long activities of political party leaders in building what they called political communications has basically given birth to two main coalitions.
The two coalitions are that between the Democratic Party and the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the grand coalition in parliament sponsored by the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDIP) and the Golkar Party.
Widely expected to be the winner of the upcoming presidential race in July 8, 2009, the Democratic Party with incumbent President Susilo Bambang Yudhohono as its presidential hopeful, had won about 20 percent of the recent legislative elections.
Even now, at least three political parties are vying for the vice presidential candidate post to accompany Yudhoyono as his running mate.
Golkar, which initially eyed the vice presidential post with Yudhoyono, officially declared its chairman Jusuf Kalla as its presidential hopeful. Kalla picked Wiranto of the People's Conscience Party (Hanura) as his running mate.
The Democratic Party has nominated Yudhoyono as its presidential hopeful and will announce its vice presidential candidate later. PDIP is also almost certain to nominate its own presidential ticket.
Thus, there would be three presidential/vice presidential pair candidates to contest the July 8, 2009 presidential race. However, observers have doubts about the solidness of the grand coalition.
Political analyst Nehemian Lawalata said he had doubts over the seriousness of parties in the grand coalition in nominating their presidential and vice presidential candidates.
"I am afraid that they will withdraw in the runup to the registration of presidential pairs," he said.
In the meantime, Arie Sujito of the University of Gajah Mada (UGM) said the political elites had been very busy engaging in political transactions after seeing the results of the quick counts by survey institutions.
"Political party elites, after seeing the results of the quick counts looked as if were losing their sense and were busy trying to make political transactions. They forgot what the people actually wanted from them," he said.
He said the political party elites should first study what was desired by the people before they decided their directions and steps.
"The steps of the political party elites are often not in line with political realities," Arie Sujito said.
He said the National Mandate Party (PAN) which decided to coalesce with the Democratic Party in its meeting recently and nominated its cadre as vice presidential candidate was influenced by the results of the quick counts, where the Democratic Party seemed to be victorious.
"When it saw the results of the quick counts which were not favorable for PAN, it decided to join forces with the likely winner," he added.
After all, PAN chairman Sutrisno Bachir had earlier shown his intention to coalesce with PDIP while its senior cadre Amin Rais desired to coalesce with the Democratic Party.
"In the runup to declaration of the grand coalition in parliament, Sutrisno Bachir, who had the ambition to become the presidential candidate of the coalition, turned out not to be reckoned," he said.
Now that PAN has joined a coalition with the Democratic Party, it could invite a big question among the people because so far Amien Rais was known to be a critic of Yudhoyono's policies.
"The people can now have an adverse opinion about Amien Rais who used to be critical of Yudhoyono," Sujito said.
In the meantime, the solidness of the grand coalition whose declaration last week was read by Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) chairman Prabowo Subiyanto, is also doubted.
"There is no guarantee that the grand coalition would remain solid," Widhya Bagja, a socio-political observer, said.
The declaration of the grand coalition among others contained the commitment of all members to maintaining the integrity of the Unitary State of Indonesia and maintain the country's economic sovereignty for the welfare of the people.
It also included a commitment to developing political party institutions as a pillar of democracy. The grand coalition in parliament consisted of Golkar, PDIP, Gerindra, Hanura, National Ulemas Awakening Party (PKNU), Prosperous Peace Party (PDS), Labor Party, the Indonesian United Ummah Party (PPNUI) and Reform Stars Party (BPR). The United Development Party (PPP) initially included in the grand coalition but later decided to quick.
Political parties which have confirmed to coalesce with the Democratic Party of Yudhoyono are the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the National Awakening Party (PKB) and PAN. The PPP is widely expected to Yudhoyono.
However, Tommy Susu of the Widya Mandira Catholic University in Kupang, said that the maneuvers of political elites in building strength in the parliament and in winning presidential and vice presidential candidate positions gave specific spectrum to the development of democracy in Indonesia.
"The political conditions built by political elites are still within the healthy and ethical corridor of democracy," he said. ***1*** (T.A014/A/HAJM/A/E002) (T.A014/A/A014/A/E002) 05-05-2009 00:25:37
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